Daily stresses are a normal part of everyone’s life. Add in a chronic or serious health problem to the mix and it can tip the balance to a level of stress and anxiety that feels almost unmanageable.

Eye problems can add to these negative feelings as they can cause changes in personal appearance, present difficulty with doing tasks previously performed with ease (e.g., reading, driving), prevent participation in leisure activities, create an unexpected financial burden, and also produce pain and discomfort. All of these factors can contribute greatly to anxiety and depression. How does one cope in the face of such obstacles? [Read more…]

No one asks for a chronic health issue to strike their loved ones, but it happens, and the ability of caregivers to stay strong for the long haul becomes essential.

The importance of self-care for caregivers was validated anew after reading an email from the BMT InfoNet, an information and support network for transplant survivors, another subset of the BFS community. The BMT InfoNet held its Sixth National Celebrating a Second Chance at Life Survivorship Symposium in New Jersey this September and included several workshops aimed at supporting caregivers. One is titled Caregiver Self-Care: Put on Your Oxygen Mask First and discussed the importance of the caregiver’s role, why the job is so stressful as well as some important self-care tips. [Read more…]